


Questions

by suemarysue



Series: Snapshots [3]
Category: Captain Marvel (2019), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: But mostly fluff, Domestic Fluff, F/F, Some angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-02
Updated: 2019-09-02
Packaged: 2020-10-05 20:54:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,650
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20495177
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/suemarysue/pseuds/suemarysue
Summary: Carol gets sick. Monica has a date and starts learning how to drive. Maria freaks out a little.And Carol has a few questions she wants to ask.





	Questions

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!

Maria loves watching Carol sleep. Whenever Carol is home, Maria often finds herself awake in the middle of the night, watching her sleep. Maybe she’s trying to make up for lost time.

But this time, Maria doesn’t like it. She hates it. Carol’s been passed out in their bed for at least half a day, maybe longer, since Maria came home and found her asleep with a handwritten note pinned to her tank top. She knew Carol would be home from space soon, but finding her asleep, and sick, in bed on Sunday night was an unpleasant surprise.

Maria’s on her side, facing Carol, who is asleep on her back. _Please wake up_, Maria thinks. _It’s been long enough._

A siren blares outside and Carol finally opens her eyes. _Was that all it took?_

“Hey,” Maria whispers, knowing Carol might not remember where she is right away, and wanting to help her feel safe as quickly as possible.

“Maria….. hi.” Maria can feel Carol relax. She tries to turn her head, but just the slightest movement sends the room spinning. “Owww…”

“Yeah, you probably don’t want to move for a little while longer.”

“I have to pee,” Carol whines. “How long have I been asleep for?” Her voice is scratchy.

“At least 14 hours, I think. The note you pinned to yourself said you would be better in about three days.” Maria stands up and walks around to Carol’s side of the bed.

“I pinned a note to myself? Oh yeah, I did.”

Slowly, very slowly, Maria helps Carol sit up, and swing her legs over the edge of the bed. She goes to the bathroom and wets a towel with cold water and brings it back, draping it over the back of Carol’s neck.

Carol sighs in relief. “I don’t know if I can stand up.”

“I got you.” Maria reassures her. “Whenever you’re ready, I’m here.”

Maria’s words give Carol the courage to try, and though it’s slow and she feels awful, she manages to stand. She puts almost all of her weight on Maria. They make it to the bathroom, and Carol is able to do what she needs to do.

As Maria helps Carol wash her hands, then get a drink of water, she asks, “Since we’re already in here, do you think you could handle a shower? I’ll stay with you the whole time.”

“One track mind, Rambeau.” Carol raises an eyebrow and smirks. “That sounds really nice, but I just want to go back to bed.”

“OK, we can try later.” Maria soaks another towel in cold water and replaces the one on the back of Carol’s neck. She also wipes off the dirt and sweat from her face. They walk back into the bedroom together. “Do you think you can sit up for a bit in bed? I’ll go get you food and something to drink?”

“Yes, please.”

“Good.”

Maria sits Carol up against the back headboard of the bed, and puts as many pillows as she can behind and on either side of her to help her sit up more easily. “Thank you,” Carol says softly, catching Maria’s hand and squeezing. “I want to kiss you so bad, but I’m so gross.”

“Let’s get you better and then there’ll be plenty of time for kissing.” She moves to the door. “I’ll start you with lots of water and some eggs, does that work?”

“Scrambled, please.” Before Maria can go, she stops her. “Monica?”

“At school. It’s Monday morning.”

“Oh,” Carol says, her voice cracking. “Did she see me like this?”

“Not when I first got home and found you in bed. This morning, when your color looked a little better.”

“I missed Thanksgiving.”

“I have plenty of leftovers for you.” It’s not the same, and they both know that, but leftovers are still nice.

“Can I see the note I left?”

“Sure,” Maria takes it out of her pocket and hands it over. “I’ve got to warn you though. You didn’t make all that much sense.”

“When do I ever?” Carol jokes, and Maria’s pleased that a little bit of the light is coming back to her eyes.

Maria points to a bell she’s left on the nightstand next to Carol. “Ring that if you need me and I’ll come right away. Don’t try to yell.”

Carol reads her handwritten note after Maria leaves. “Maria, sick. Not bad for Earth + humans. Looks worse. Talos stay. No. Our bed. Infection. Love. Three days better. Suit bathtub. Medicine. You. Trouble. Sleep. Heart. Tired.”

Maria returns with a large bowl of scrambled eggs and a pitcher of water that she sets up on her nightstand. She puts a tray over Carol’s legs and fills a plate with eggs as well as a glass of water. Carol quickly downs the whole glass and Maria refills it. She starts eating the eggs.

“Thank you,” Carol says after a few minutes. “Did Talos stuff a more sensible note in my pocket?”

Maria shakes her head. “No, he used your communicator and I talked to him not long after I found you. He explained that you had an internal infection or allergic reaction after something bit you. Not contagious. With medicine, you’ll be fine. That he tried to stop you, but you wanted to come home and sleep in your own bed. And he explained how and when to give you the medicine injection. Which is good because I decoded most of your note, but you did not explain that at all, and you needed some while you were sleeping.”

Carol downs another glass of water. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry.” Maria gets into the bed and sits as close to Carol as she can with all the pillows surrounding her. She puts an arm around Carol’s shoulders. “I’ve got you.”

“You always do.” Carol leans into Maria’s arm. Then, after a moment, she says, “If Monica’s at school, shouldn’t you be at work?”

“I called out sick all week.” Carol starts to say something, but Maria puts her hand up. “Stop. There’s nowhere in the world, no universe, that I would be other than right here. We should call Talos, and Fury, soon. Let them know you’re awake. They’re worried.”

Carol nods. “I didn’t realize how hungry I was. The food is really helping. Thank you.”

“How did you even get here? You could fly?”

“Yeah. It’s more the medicine that’s making me weak. Though the infection kinda made my eyes cross,” Carol says. “I think it probably would’ve run its course, but taken a long time, without the medicine. Once I found out the meds were going to knock me out, I just came home. I’d rather be in this bed for three days than some table in space. I should’ve written the note before I gave myself the injection. That probably would’ve been more helpful.”

“I have to give you another one in an hour.”

“Great.” Carol rolls her eyes. “Just when I finally feel slightly less awful.”

“I’ll be here with you.”

“I know. That’s why I couldn’t stay up there. Thank you.” Carol stops eating and looks up at Maria. “This is just like when I got mono.”

“It better not be just like when you got mono.”

“You taking care of me, I mean. Not how I got sick.”

“You know, you still have never told me who gave it to you.”

“She never told me her name! That’s why. It’s so embarrassing. We made out in her car outside the bar a few times, and then I got sick, and I never saw her again.”

“I can’t say I’m sorry she disappeared.”

“Me neither. I wasn’t even sad about being sick since it meant you looking after me for a few weeks.”

“I always will.”

“I really wish I had at least brushed my teeth so I could kiss you right now.”

“I don’t care.” Maria leans down and kisses Carol.

“That was nice.” Carol’s perhaps about to say more, but the phone rings. It’s Fury checking in on her. And then her communicator goes off—Talos checking in on her as well.

It’s late in the evening when Carol wakes up. After they let Fury and Talos know she was doing better, and she finished eating, it was time for another injection of the medicine, which knocked her out again.

She distinctly remembers falling asleep with Maria’s arms wrapped around her. Which is why it’s particularly upsetting to wake up in their bed entirely alone. It’s dark outside, but a look at the clock says it’s only a little past 7:30. The house is eerily quiet, however.

The silence is a little alarming to Carol and she starts to slowly get herself out of bed to investigate. But then she hears two whispered voices from downstairs and realizes that they’re trying to be really quiet so they don’t wake her up.

“Hey,” Carol says from the top of the stairs.

In an instant, Maria is by her side, helping her walk down the stairs. Carol’s feeling a lot better now, but she definitely still needs help and she will also never complain about having Maria’s arms around her.

“I’ll go get you some dinner and something to drink,” Maria says when they reach the living room. She also wants to give Monica some time alone with Carol.

Monica approaches cautiously, a far cry from how she usually barrels into Carol whenever she returns. “You’re not gonna break me, I promise.” Monica hugs her softly anyway, and it’s Carol who tightens the hug. “This looks way worse than it is.”

“I know. Mom said that.” Carol’s pretty sure Monica is fighting back tears, and it makes her heart hurt, but she knows better than to force a teenager to talk about their emotions if they don’t want to.“I don’t know if you’re up for sitting down here on the couch with us, but I have Empire Strikes Back ready to go in the VCR.”

Carol smiles. “That sounds perfect. Wait, did you finish your homework?”

Monica laughs and rolls her eyes. “Yes, of course. I know the rules.”

“I would let you,” Carol whispers. “It is Star Wars after all, but your mom…”

They settle into the couch, Carol in the middle after Maria joins them a few moments later. She sets up a tray of Thanksgiving leftovers and a pitcher of water on the coffee table in front of Carol.

They don’t even make it an hour into the movie before both Carol and Monica fall asleep. Carol’s curled up against Maria, and Monica’s curled up against Carol. Maria doesn’t mind being the only one awake. She’s not a big Star Wars fan, but she sure does love watching her family sleep.

By the weekend, Carol is feeling a lot better, and despite Maria’s protests, resumes her handy-woman jobs. It really was just a three day infection, and she no longer has to take that awful medicine. Her messages were pretty full when she returned, and a lot of them were about services no longer needed—Hannah took care of responding to those when Carol was out of town—but there were still enough to fill her weekend when she returned calls on Friday.

The first job of the day is a particularly large one, which will also mean a lot of cash. She’s so, so close to being able to pick up the ring and necklace.

She brings Monica with her for the day because it sounded like a lot to do, and also because it’s good for Monica, who is almost 16, to learn how to do things around the house, change tires, things like that. And it gives Monica the money she wants to go out with her friends. They also get to spend time together, and Monica seems to genuinely enjoy it, so it’s a win on all counts.

They knock on the door and an exhausted-looking young woman, Cindy, holding a screaming baby boy, answers the door. Carol’s seen her around town, but they’ve never met before.

“Hi, I’m Cindy. Thanks for coming so early,” she says. “It’s a warm day so he’s out golfing. If he knew I hired a woman I’d never hear the end of it.”

“No problem,” Carol says simply. This happens a lot, people wanting to tell her their problems, but she finds it’s best to not respond. This poor woman already looks done for the day and it’s only 7:15 in the morning. “I’m Carol. This is Monica. Who’s this little guy?” Carol asks, pretending like the baby is not shrieking loud enough to break glass.

“Eddie, he’s teething and he just threw the ring across the floor and I can’t find it.”

“Teething’s rough. We can help you look.”

It’s Monica who finds it and after a quick rinse in the sink the baby has the ring in his mouth and is considerably calmer. “You haven’t even been here five minutes and you’ve already solved one problem. I can see why my mom loves you.”

Cindy runs through the long list of things she needs done for the day: all the Christmas stuff down from the attic (she’d been asking her husband to do it for two weeks), a bunch of heavy books packed into boxes and moved down to the basement (been asking him for three weeks), a broken garbage disposal (don’t get her started), just to name a few. The largest issue is a stand-up piano that Cindy would like moved to the other side of the living room so they have room for the Christmas tree her husband will (hopefully) bring in tomorrow.

“If you can’t move it, that’s fine. It’s quite heavy, but everyone says you’re really good with large objects, so I thought I’d ask. Does this all sound OK? Let me know if it doesn’t.”

“I’m sure we’ll manage,” Carol says. “But if there’s anything we can’t, I’ll let you know.”

After a few minutes, Cindy’s about ready to leave. Carol’s relieved she won’t be there, she hadn’t been sure. It’s always a lot easier without having to pretend that moving a piano is difficult.

“There’s lemonade in the refrigerator and some snacks on the counter if you need anything,” Cindy says. “I’m taking Eddie to my mom’s house and I’m going to take a long nap while she watches him. You probably already have it, but I left her phone number on the counter if you need me.” She looks over at Monica, playing with the baby. “It gets easier, doesn’t it? Please tell me it gets easier.”

“It does,” Carol replies, also looking at Monica. “It gets good, really good. Really fun.”

“Good.” Cindy sighs. “I’m glad we finally got to meet today. My mom is such a fan of you two, and your girlfriend.” They shake hands. “Just leave the key under the flower pot when you’re done, and please, even if you can’t finish, leave before 1.”

“Got it. No problem. I’m sure we can get this all done. Tell Angela I said hi.”

Cindy hands Carol an envelope, thick with cash.

“Oh, no, you pay after. When the work is done.”

“I trust you and I don’t know when I’ll get a chance to give this to you if I don’t now.” She glances at Monica. “You probably have Christmas shopping to do, right?”

Carol nods and takes the envelope. “Thanks.”

“No, thank you.”

Cindy and Eddie leave and Carol and Monica get started on their long to do list.

“I have a question,” Monica says, when they are back in the car after finishing everything at Cindy’s house. Moving the piano took a few seconds, and everything after that was no problem for the two of them. They even stopped to eat the fruit that Cindy left out and they’re still done before 10.

“Yeah?” Carol’s about to pull out onto the road, but stops to look at Monica.

“Why would Cindy stay with her husband if she’s so unhappy?”

“Monica, don’t say that. We shouldn’t talk about other people.”

“I waited until we were in the car to ask.” Monica huffs, annoyed. “A lot of my friends, all their moms do is complain about their dads. Why don’t they get divorced?”

Carol slides the car back into park. This isn’t going to be a conversation they can have while she’s driving. “Some marriages are bad, yes. I definitely know that. But most, they probably don’t mean it. I think Cindy was exhausted. People just say stuff like that.”

“You and Mom don’t. Grandma and Grandpa don’t.”

“I don’t know. There’s a lot you don’t see in people’s marriages. You can’t know about a relationship from the outside. People go through tough times. Even we’ve gone through tough times.”

“I know. But we’re not like them. At Sally’s house last weekend, her parents would barely even talk to each other at dinner and when they did, they were mean. It was so uncomfortable. Sally told me she wished she lived in a house like mine. I told her about how we fell asleep watching Star Wars when you were sick and she cried.”

“Maybe because we know what it’s like to not be together, it makes us appreciate when we are. I don’t think a lot of people realize that about their families.”

“I guess,” Monica says. “Are men bad?”

“What?”

“It seems like men are not great. Like Cindy’s husband. He won’t help her, and he doesn’t want a woman to do what he won’t do.”

“There are good men,” Carol says, ignoring the flood of awful men she knows that pop into her mind. “Your grandfather. Fury. Tom and his sons. Your math teacher.”

Monica doesn’t respond.

“Where’s this coming from?”

A very long pause. “There’s a boy I like…,” Monica says slowly.

Carol has to suppress a smile that Monica is telling her something like this. _Play it cool_, she thinks. “Yeah?”

“He’s new to the school this year, and we talk to each other every day. I really like him, as a friend, but maybe more. He asked me to the Christmas dance and I said yes. He was nervous, and he called it a date, so I think he likes me as more than a friend, too. But, I’m worried we won’t like each other as much if we are girlfriend/boyfriend. What if we start fighting?”

“What’s his name?”

Monica takes a long moment before finally saying, “Mike.”

“I think,” Carol says slowly. “That you and Mike are friends first, which is important. You know a lot about each other, and want to keep learning more.”

“Yeah?”

“I think sometimes when you see people unhappy, it’s because they didn’t really know each other well enough before they dated, or got married.”

“And that’s why it’s not like that with you and Mom? Because you were friends first?”

“I think it helps, for sure.”

“I really like being his friend…. but I also really, really want to kiss him.” Monica says, looking down at her hands in her lap.

_Play it cool. _“He asked you to the dance and called it a date, so that’s a good sign he wants that too.”

“Yeah, okay, thanks.” Monica leans her head against the dashboard. “Can we talk about something else now?”

“Sure. Wait. You need anything for the dance? A dress?”

“A few of us are going to the mall tomorrow.”

“If you need anything, let me know. … And that reminds me,” Carol says, pulling the envelope out of her jacket pocket. She hands Monica her cut of the money.

Monica shakes her head. “No, that’s OK. I don’t really help. And I know what you want to buy, and I want you to get it faster.”

“First of all, you absolutely help and a deal is a deal.” She makes Monica take the money. “Second, so you can get a nice dress or whatever you need for the dance. And third, after today I’ll have enough. I’m going to pick it up tomorrow.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

“Finally!”

“Finally?”

“Yeah. You know we all know you’ve been planning this for awhile, right?” Carol nods. She hadn’t exactly kept it a secret. “So, how are you going to do it?”

“First… this is actually… well… there’s something I want to ask you,” Carol says, a little nervous. “Is it OK with you if I ask your mom to marry me?”

“Are you asking my permission? Because Mom doesn’t need anyone’s permission.”

“No, I just…. Is this something you want, too?”

“Do I want you and Mom to get married?”

“Yeah.”

“Didn’t I say ‘finally?’ Yes, I do.” She leans over and hugs Carol. “It’s all I’ve ever wanted.”

And just like that, they are both crying. “Alright,” Carol says after a moment, wiping the tears from her eyes. “I should probably start driving this car. We have some time to have a nice breakfast before taking Jo shopping.”

“So …. how are you going to ask her?” Monica says, once Carol has shifted the car into gear and started driving.

“I don’t know. I’ve been thinking about it for awhile and nothing feels right. Any ideas?”

“Oh, I have so many,” Monica says.

Carol has to wait _all day_ to tell Maria about the car conversation. The jobs took well into the evening, so it’s a late dinner for the three of them, followed by a rented movie that they are all probably too tired for but had to watch since it’s due back in the morning. It’s midnight by the time Carol and Maria are alone in their room and she can finally share her news.

“There’s a boy,” Carol blurts out as Maria’s finishing brushing her teeth in the bathroom.

“What?”

“Monica. Monica likes a boy, and we think he likes her back.”

“How did you find out?”

“She told me this morning. I’ve been waiting all day to tell you! He asked her to the Christmas dance at school and she said yes.”

“Do we know him?”

“I don’t think so. His name is Mike. She said he’s new to the school this year, and they talk to each other every day. And Maria, she said, ‘I really like being his friend, but I also really, really want to kiss him.’”

“That’s so cute.”

“I didn’t say it, but all I could think was that I know that feeling really, really well.” She kisses Maria.

“Yeah, probably a good thing you didn’t say that.”

“She’s going to tell you at breakfast. She wants to go out tomorrow with her friends to get a dress. She didn’t ask me not to tell you, but maybe pretend it’s the first you’re hearing about it.” Carol starts brushing her teeth, and lets out a small laugh, lost in thought. “You know… it’s unlikely, she’ll probably go on lots of dates with lots of different people, but you never know, this Mike could be the guy she marries someday.”

“Right, yeah,” Maria almost whispers before walking out of the bathroom.

Carol stares at herself in the mirror. “Danvers,” she mutters, “what the hell is the matter with you?” She quickly finishes brushing her teeth. “Maria, wait…”

Carol finds Maria sitting on the edge of the bed, staring at the floor, starting to cry. “Oh, sweetie.” She sits down, wrapping her arms around her waist and kissing her shoulder. “That was a dumb thing to say. I’m sorry.”

“It was a dumb thing to say.” Maria laughs as she wipes away her tears. “But that’s not. .… I feel like I’m getting close to the edge of a cliff. … We’re talking about colleges. She’s about to start learning how to drive. She makes us dinner.”

“She’s growing up.”

“I don’t know if I’m ready for it.”

“You know who is definitely ready for it? Monica. She is smart, and poised, and kind. She’s going to kick ass at all of this, and we get to be here to watch her and cheer her on.” She squeezes Maria a little tighter. “I think that sounds really fun, don’t you?”

Maria nods, but she’s not really feeling better yet. “Yeah, it does. Hold me?” She crawls up to her side of the bed. “She’s getting so old. I’m getting so old,” Maria says as she puts her head on the pillow.

Carol curls herself around Maria’s back. “_We’re_ getting so old.”

Two weeks later on an early Saturday afternoon, Maria is covered in dirt from the oven when the back door flings open and Carol barges in, not even bothering to take off her jacket.

“That…. was …. exhausting,” she says as she heads for the refrigerator and takes out a beer, downing half the bottle quickly. “I need something stronger. Where did I put that bottle I brought back from Sakaar?”

“Top shelf above the window,” Maria says as she continues cleaning. Christmas is approaching, and everyone will be at the house, so she needs to do the long overdue deep cleaning of the kitchen.

“Thank you.” She pours herself a shot and drinks.

“I see the first driving lesson went well?”

“I’ve never been more scared.” Carol pours another shot. “And we spent most of the time in an empty parking lot.”

“You brought this on yourself. I was more than happy to pay someone else to teach her, but you had to get cocky…” Maria moves to the sink, filled with the racks from the oven, and starts cleaning those.

“Who can say who’s to blame?”

“You’re to blame.”

“The point is, it was terrifying.”

“How’s your car?”

“I don’t know that she’ll ever forgive me.” Carol sits on the counter next to the sink, facing Maria.

“Good thing you’ve only got a few more months of this.”

Carol groans and dramatically lays down on the counter.

“You drop Monica off at Skye’s OK?”

“Yep. Talked to Skye’s dad for a bit. Nice guy. He’ll drop Mon off here after the movie.”

“Is Mike going to be there?”

“She only said Skye and Sally were going.”

“I bet he’ll just happen to have a ticket too.”

Carol sits back up. “At least we know he exists.”

“What do you want to do for dinner? I know we have the house to ourselves, but I was thinking we could go out. There’s that new restaurant that everyone is raving about,” Maria asks. When Carol doesn’t respond, she looks up. There’s a smirk on Carol’s face and a ring box on the counter between them.

Maria freezes. “Is this because you saw your life flash before your eyes today?”

“That’s a small part of it.” Carol pushes the box closer.

“Are you seriously doing this now? While my hands are covered in dirt and soap and water?”

“So,” Carol says, ignoring Maria, her voice a little shaky. “I’ve spent six months thinking of the right way to do this…”

“And this is the moment you picked?”

“And I’ve had this in my pocket for the past two weeks…”

“Two weeks?”

“Trying to find the right moment….”

“What if you dropped it?”

“Are you going to let me propose or what?”

“Sorry.” Maria washes and dries her hands, and settles herself in front of Carol.

“Then I realized,” Carol says, taking her hands. “Maria, there’s been no one right moment because every moment with you has always been the right one.”

Maria doesn’t know how to respond to something _that_ sweet, so she kisses Carol. Or at least, she tries. Carol turns her head and laughs, so Maria only makes contact with her cheek.

“You didn’t open the box yet.” She places it in Maria’s hands. “Open it.” She hops down from the counter and wraps her arms around Maria’s waist.

“Carol,” Maria says when she sees the ring. “You went back for it?”

“Of course. It’s like the ring your grandmother had.”

Maria leans in, but Carol dodges again. “Wait, wait. I’ve got to make this official.” She takes the ring out of the box. “Will you marry me?”

“Absolutely.” 

Carol doesn’t even let Maria finish her response before slipping the ring on her finger. “Now you can kiss me.”

It’s 11:22 when Monica gets home. (She’s supposed to be home by 11.) She quietly opens the door, hoping that everyone is asleep and she can get to her room undetected, and pretend like she didn’t miss curfew. 

But, of course, no luck. Her mother and Carol are cuddled on the couch together, watching the door.

“We didn’t realize the movie was so long,” she blurts out quickly, and it’s the truth. “We came straight home. You can call Skye’s dad in the morning and he can explain.”

Maria shakes her head. “I believe you.”

“Forget about curfews—for tonight,” Carol adds. “We have good news to share.” She pats the couch next to them and Monica sits.

“Did you finally ask her?” She looks at her mother’s hands, but she has both of them hidden under a blanket.

“Ask me what?” Maria asks, innocently, and Monica panics.

“Uh, about….. ummm…,” she stammers and both women start laughing. “You guys are the worst.”

“Yes, I asked her.”

“And???”

“And I want to ask you something, too.” Carol takes a deep breath. “Monica, the both of you have been the best thing that ever happened to me.”

“You don’t have to ask me anything. I already told you…”

Carol looks from Monica to Maria. “Will no one let me get through what I want to say?”

“Sorry,” Monica says. “I’ll be quiet.”

“Thank you—both—for always having a place for me. Even when I didn’t remember, I could still feel that.” She reaches under the coffee table for the necklace box that she hid there a few hours earlier and hands it to Monica. “Can I be part of this family forever, please?”

“Carol…,” Monica says.

“When did you…?” Maria leans forward.

“Open it!”

Monica opens the box. “Oh wow.”

“Show her the ring,” Carol says, reaching for Maria’s hand. “They go together perfectly.”

“Like us,” Monica says, as she looks at the ring and the necklace.

Maria wraps her right arm around Carol and squeezes Monica’s hand with her left. “Yeah, like us.”

“Is that a yes?” Carol asks.

“Of course it’s a yes. You’ve always been family.” She takes the necklace out of the box. “You didn’t have to do this. Thank you. Will you help me put it on?”

Monica pulls up her hair and Carol puts the necklace on her. They hug, and once again, are crying.

“How about we celebrate with some ice cream?” Maria joins in on the hug, kissing both of their temples.

“So, how did you propose?” Monica asks when they get into the kitchen. “Fancy restaurant? Under the stars? In an airplane? Why didn’t you tell me you were going to ask tonight?” She lightly swats at Carol’s arm.

“Um, well…”

“All of those ideas sound amazing,” Maria says as she takes the ice cream out of the freezer. “She asked me while I was cleaning the kitchen and had my hands deep in water and soap and dirt.”

“Oh, no.”

“I couldn’t decide how to do it. And then all of a sudden I just couldn’t wait another second.”

Maria walks up behind Carol, wrapping her arms around her waist. She kisses her cheek. “It was perfect.”

The next morning, Maria wakes early, but she doesn’t get to watch Carol sleep. When she opens her eyes, Carol’s already awake and staring at the ceiling.

“Good morning,” Maria whispers as she curls into Carol, resting her head on her chest.

“Good morning.” Carol kisses the top of Maria’s head and starts rubbing her back with her left hand. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

“Remember a few weeks ago when Monica asked me all those questions about relationships?”

“Yeah.”

“You would think that that might get into my head or scare me or whatever. I certainly know what a bad one looks like. It just made me even more sure that this, what we have, is really, really good.”

Maria reaches for Carol’s free hand and kisses her palm. “It is.” She can tell there’s more Carol wants to say, she certainly wasn’t awake early and staring at the ceiling because she wasn’t worried about something, but Maria will let Carol take her time.

It’s a long moment before Carol finally breaks the silence, and she pushes her words out quickly.

“But… I know there’s still a lot to figure out, like where and how we would even do this, since we can’t…”

“Carol, don’t…”

“And then even planning it… what if something happens on the day and I have to go? I’ll probably miss a lot of time before it, and after it. Or what if I get sick again?”

“Honey, anything can happen to anyone.” Maria shifts so she’s propped up on her elbow and looking down at Carol. “We’ve made this work, haven’t we?”

“We have.”

“Then we can make all that work.”

“But Maria…”

“It’s too late to back out, Danvers, I said yes already.” Maria holds up her left hand. “Didn’t you just say that we’re really, really good?”

“We are. But I woke up and all I could do was worry. I thought so much about proposing that I didn’t really think about what comes after that. We’re so good. It’s everything else.”

Maria brushes a few strands of hair away from Carol’s face. “We have plenty of time to worry about everything else. Let’s just enjoy us right now.” She places a soft kiss on Carol’s lips. “Can you do that?”

Carol takes a deep breath, smiles. “I can do that.”


End file.
